Depriming Unfired Primers

I've been reloading 40 S&W on a single stage press for a few months now, and I've gotten the hang of producing pretty good target ammo. However, when I first started, I had several FTF's. After taking a closer look at what I was doing and how I was doing it, I realized I was crushing the primers at times (although I read Mr. Lee's book telling me not too ).

Now, I still have 8-10 loaded rounds that have FTF (and yes, I've tried to fire them more than once with no results). I have a bullet puller on order, but this brings me to my question:

Is it safe to deprime those cases once I remove the bullet and powder? Is it going to go "bang" ?

I have experienced the same situation. Playing by the rules here, after you pull the bullets and powder you can soak the primed brass in oil to render them unfireable. Now, off the record, I have run them through the resizing die and knocked out a live primer with no kaboom, but I don't recommend you challenge safety rules as a newb.

I have been pushing them out with my deprimer for over 2 years now with out an incident and I have done literally over a couple hundred. I always go nice and easy when I do it and were safety glasses of course. I have even deprimed backwards loaded primers this way with no problems at all. Was a bit nervous when I first tried it but that has long since worn off.

I have been pushing them out with my deprimer for over 2 years now with out an incident and I have done literally over a couple hundred. I always go nice and easy when I do it and were safety glasses of course. I have even deprimed backwards loaded primers this way with no problems at all. Was a bit nervous when I first tried it but that has long since worn off.

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I've done exactly the same thing. I've pushed some out, carefully, and even reloaded them in another case. Worked for me...

There is absolutely no reason to contaminate your brass by squirting oil in them. Nice smooth pulls on the press handle is all it takes. If one did by chance go off, you'll just have to clean your die and change your shorts . Wear safety glasses anyway.

I've never had a primer go off de-priming on a press but I wear safety glasses while doing it because I have had a few go off on me while seating primers with Lee-Loaders. The pistol primers will startle you but the large rifle primers are scarey. Lots more power in a large rifle primer.

There is absolutely no reason to contaminate your brass by squirting oil in them. Nice smooth pulls on the press handle is all it takes. If one did by chance go off, you'll just have to clean your die and change your shorts . Wear safety glasses anyway.

howlnmad

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Soaking in oil is in no way "contaminating" to brass, this is a recommended procedure to eliminate the chance of a primer going off accidentally for someone who is new to reloading. I guess I have "contaminated" thousands of pieces of brass then, everytime resizing lube has been used on my rifle cartriges, dang!

I have never had one go off while depriming in a press either, but since the question is from a new guy, I would add that this should be done ONLY on a Single Stage press, because the progressives usually have a powder holder within inches of the sizer die.

I've never had a primer go off de-priming on a press but I wear safety glasses while doing it because I have had a few go off on me while seating primers with Lee-Loaders. The pistol primers will startle you but the large rifle primers are scarey. Lots more power in a large rifle primer.

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I hear you and have been there. I was using a Lee Loader to reload some 45-70 rounds. While I was tapping the primer tool to set the primmer the darned thing went off and gave me an awefull startle. They are prett loud when indoors and one goes off.

after you pull the bullets and powder you can soak the primed brass in oil to render them unfireable

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Not always, besides why take the chance on ruining a perfectly good primer. I have punched them out ( slow and easy ) in my sizing die with no problems. I even reuse them in practice and plinking ammo.